IBEX-SHOOTING IN SPAIN. 165 



forest-haunting goats from those of the Alpine sierras is 

 only trifling. Compared with circumference, the horns 

 are of lesser length, and hardly, perhaps, branch out so 

 widely ; but that may, after all, be only a question of age. 

 Ibex-stalking. — It may occur to the sportsman-reader 

 to observe that we have said very little of ibex-stalking. 

 The reason is that, as before mentioned, we have little but 

 negative experiences to relate, having met with no success 

 ourselves in that sport. Both in Andalucia and the 

 Gastiles we have followed some of the longest and most 

 severe, days' work in search of ibex, but without success. 

 The ibex are relatively very scarce, scattered sparsely over 

 vast areas, and rarely to be seen on the move during daylight. 

 It is, of course, in all stalking a first essential that a great 

 extent of country be brought under survey. This implies 

 covering long distances; and the extreme difficulties of 

 locomotion on the Spanish cordilleras forbid this. We do 

 not speak without a basis of comparative experience, 

 having seen something of mountain-game in various lands. 

 It may be that we lack speed of foot in traversing those 

 rugged rock-peaks — we are far from denying this, let those 

 smile who may. Few will do so who have once attempted 

 to seek out and stalk the wild ibex — or it may be only 

 bad luck. At any rate, our hardest days on Nevada or 

 Gredos have not, so far, been rewarded by a single shot, 

 or even by the sight of an ibex in a position where a stalk 

 might be dreamt of. 



